1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an IC card assembly, and particularly to an input/output card assembly which has a flat card portion and a connector portion for connecting with an external device, wherein the connector portion has a height which is much greater than a thickness of the flat card portion.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
The Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) has set up a standard so that card assemblies meeting the PCMCIA standard can be selectively connected to a computer to expand the computer""s capability. Such card assemblies are particularly useful for compact computers such as notebooks and palmtops. An I/O card meeting the PCMCIA standard is used to connect the computer with a peripheral device such as a printer, a scanner, and a digital camera. To improve transmission speed between the peripheral device and the computer, an IEEE 1394 connector is generally used. The card assembly includes a card portion for receiving a PCMCIA card and a transition portion for receiving an IEEE 1394 connector. The transition portion has a profile much higher than that of the card portion. Thus a neck portion of the card assembly between the card portion and the transition portion is relatively weak, and is easily broken during insertion or withdrawal of the card assembly into and from a PCMCIA connector mounted in the computer. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a card assembly which has a supporting structure for reinforcing the neck portion.
Hence, an improved electrical connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an I/O card assembly which has a high-profile connecting portion for connecting with a peripheral device, a flat card portion, and a neck portion between the connecting portion and the flat card portion, wherein a reinforcing structure is provided in the neck portion to protect the neck portion from damage.
To achieve the above-mentioned objects, a PCMCIA card assembly in accordance with the present invention includes a printed circuit board (PCB), a dielectric supporting member, a lower cover, an upper cover, and a pair of bolts. The lower cover has a pair of frames, each of which forms a front head. A body section of the PCB is enclosed by the covers. The supporting member encloses and supports high-profile mating connectors mounted on the PCB. The supporting member includes an upper housing and a lower housing. The lower housing forms a lower casing and a base board extending rearwardly from the lower casing. The upper housing forms an upper casing and a mounting board extending rearwardly from the upper casing. Both boards extend rearwardly beyond the front heads into a position between the covers, and the lower and upper casings project forwardly from the covers. The base board of the lower housing forms a pair of shoulder walls, a pair of blocks and a pair of abutting walls which all cooperate to engage with the heads of the lower cover and thus reliably secure the lower housing to the lower cover. The boards are engageable with each other such that the supporting member is securely attached to the lower cover. The upper cover is latched to the lower cover. The covers are received in a host device and the casings protrude from the host device.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.